Tunnel construction



W. B. UPDEGRAFF.

TUNNEL CONSTRUCTION.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 26. 1920.

1,355,290, Patented Oct. 12, 1920.

INVENTOR 'ATI'ORN EY W. B. UPDEGRAFF.

TUNNEL CONSTRUCTION.

APPLICATION FILED rmze. 1920.

Patented Oct. 12, 1920.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

N v 2Q .2. i

ATTORNEY UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TUNNEL CONSTRUCTION.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed February 26, 1920. Serial No. 361,440..

a tunnel formation in which an excavation shield is advanced by hydraulic pressure applied by means of jacks interposed between the cutting edge or rim of the shield and the latest installed sections of the permanent tunnel lining, in a manner well known in the art.

The prescribed thrust of the shield is in axial alinement with the longitudinal axis of the tunnel, and the hydraulic jacks are positioned in parallelism therewith. It frequently happens however that obstructions encountered exert an uneven pressure on the cutting rim of the shield, and tend to defleet it out of its true course, and to cause partial rotation thereof.

Up'to the present time the hydraulic jacks have been permanently mounted and positioned in parallelism to the central longitudinal axis of the shield, and skilful manipulation thereof has been relied upon to maintain the shield in its true course,n0 special means having heretofore been devised for effectually counteracting the tendency of the shield to yield to lateral deflection, or turn helically, when opposed by obstacles eccentrically located with relation thereto,nor to bring the shield back to normal position and alinement when thus in default.

It is the object of my invention to obviate this difiiculty, and to attain and maintain the perfect prescribed alinement of the ex cavating shield under all the varying conditions and exigencies of use; and this I accomplish by my method of compensating for, and overcoming uneven or eccentric cutter rim or shield resistance by varying the line of hydraulic jack thrust according to requirements,provision being made for the lateral axial adjustment of said hydraulic jacks as hereinafter set forth.

In the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1, is a central longitudinal sectional elevation of an excavation shield and the forward end of a tunnel lining, exemplifying a practical embodiment of the essential features of my invention, parts belng broken away the better to illustrate details of construction;

Fig. 2, is a transverse section, the right half of the figure beingtaken upon plane of line 2*2, Fig. l, and the left half of the same figure being taken upon plane of line 2 ,2 Fig. 1;

Fig. 3, is a sectional elevation of one of the hydraulic jacks and adjacent parts;

Fig. 4:, is also a sectional elevation of one of the hydraulic jacks and parts adjacent taken at right angles to Fig. 3;

F 1g. 5, is a sectional detail showing a modification in the means for securing the lateral adjustment of a hydraulic ram;

Fig. 6, is a sectional detail showing anothfr modification in such adjustive means; an

Fig. 7 is a sectional detail thereof taken at right angles to Fig. 6.

The forward part of Fig. 1, is taken upon plane of line 1--1, Fig. 2, the two interme diate hydraulic jacks and details appertainlng thereto being omitted, and the encaseicnent of the medial jack being shown in secion.

S, is the tubular excavation shield formed with the advance cutting rim 8, front bulk head diaphragm s, and rear or intermediate diaphragm s*, in a manner usual in the art, the main portions of the hydraulic jacks J, J, being positioned in compartments or encasements is, formed therefor between said diaphragms 8', 8 the outer wall of the shield S, and the inner concentric shell s ,s, representing the partition walls between the adjacent jack compartments is, which latter extend circumferentially around the interior of the shield. Any plural number of jacks may be provided according'to requirements, positioned in equidistant relationship to each other as Shown, or otherwise, as may be found most expedient and independently mounted and equipped in like manner, so that the de- Patented Oct. 12, 1920.

scription of one will answer for each and all.

ing confined between correspondingly shaped split concave bearing blocks 1), b, as shown more particularly in Fig. 3, of the drawings,the axis 0', constituting the pivotal center of the jack, considered as a unitary device. This pivotal installation and mounting of the hydraulic 'acks (one or more in the series, and pre erably a plurality thereof, if not all) is a distinctive feature of my invention, and may be obviously accomplished by other mechanical expedients than as shown in the drawings, so that I do not limit myself in this respect, the essential feature being the provision of means whereby the longitudinal axis of the jack may be inclined laterall and obliquely in either direction as relate to the central longitudinal axis of the shield S, so as to vary the direction of effective thrust of the ram R, as may be found expedient in counteracting any eccentric resistance or torsional strain encountered by the rim 8, of the shield as it is advanced through the material to be excavated.

The hydraulic jacks J, J, are interposed as usual between the front cutting rim 8, and diaphragm s, of the shield S, and the segments L, of permanent tunnel lining last installed within the tail of the shield as illustrated in Fi 1, in which a concrete lining is indicate it being understood however that this is only an incidental feature, as the lining segments L, may be metallic, and of any form and construction known in the art, the important function performed thereby in the present connection being that of affording adequate basic support for the jacks J. To this end the rear extremities of the rams R, are provided with swivel heads 1'; and the forward ends of the cylinders C, are adapted for adjustable engagement with abutment blocks A, positioned against the front diaphragm s, of the shield S.

This adjustable engagement between cylinder heads and abutment blocks A, may be effected by means of various mechanical expedients, those shown in the drawings being by way of exemplification only, although simple and effective for the purpose. Thus, in Fig. 1, a plurality of semi-circular dowel-pin-recesses c", c", are formed directly in the head of the jack cylinder C, and the abutment block A, is formed with one such semi-circular seat a, centrally located for the reception of a dowel pin (1, and the jack J, is shown with its longitudinal axis inclined obliquely to the right as related to the central longitudinal axis 1-1, of the shield S,-three adjustments of the jack J, thus being provided for,z'. e., a central longitudinal positioning of the jack in alinement with the longitudinal axis of the shield, or an oblique adjustment on either side of said normally central position. In the alternative arrangement shown in Fig.

3, a like result is attained by a pluralitlyi of dowel seats a, a, a, in the abutment bloc A the cylinder head being formed with a single central dowel seat 0". Or, if greater delicacy or scope of lateral adjustment is desired the cylinder head may be provided with a plurality of semicircular recesses 0*, as shown in Fig. 5, for use in conjunction with a dowel pin d,'and a plurality of such dowel seats a, a, a, in the abutment A. If still greater accuracy of lateral adjustment of inclination is required, the head of the cylinder may be longitudinal-slot-recessed, as at 0 Figs. 6 and 7, and an eccentric e, provided for the purpose of prescribing the line of thrust of the ram R, as may be found expedient. V

In Fig. 5, the cylinder 0, is shown as provided with a head cap 0-, by which means the older forms of hydraulic jacks heretofore in vogue may be conveniently adapted for use in conjunction with my system of excavating shield manipulation and control.

By thus roviding for the positioning of the longitu inal axis of one or more of the hydraulic jacks J, at an inclination in either direction as related to the central longitudinal axis of the shield S, substantially as herein designated, I am enabled to meet, compensate for, and counteract any unevenness or eccentricity of resistance to which the cutting rim 8,-01' the shield S, may be subjected in its prescribed course, and to overcome torsional strain on the shield; or if the latter has yielded helically, to restore it to normal position and alinement. By thus obviating or correcting spiral partial axial rotation of the shield I am able to maintain the shield in proper truth and alinement relative to the tunnel lining and equipment therein, and thereby afford means to more safely, efliciently and expeditiously carry on the work of excavation than could result without the use of my invention.

I have herein shown and described the use of hydraulic jacks in connection with my invention, as representing the type of jack usually employed in tunnel work of this character, although screw and other jacks may be substituted therefor if desired with like effect in so far as practical results are concerned, so that by the term jack in the claims I mean to designate any mechanical device e uivalent to the hydraulic jack, and adapte to be manipulated substantially as hereinbefore set forth.

In operating a tunnel shield, with the existing type of jack equipment, itis necessary in order to change the direction of the shield to compensate for errors, or to negotiate tends to alter the course of the shield. It frequently happens however that with some of the jacks out of use, there is not suiiicient power available to properly advance the shield, thereby necessitating a compromise between What is desirable and what is possible.

\Vith my invention it is possible to obtain a component force at right angles to, or oblique to, the axis of the shield while all of the jacks are being used to advance the shield, some jacks being angled with reference to the shield axis to accomplish this result. This lateral component force would affect the change in axial direction of the shield.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is,

1. In combination with a tunnel excavating shield of the character designated, a jack pivotally mounted therein, and means for adjusting the axial alinement of said jack obliquely with relation to the central longitudinal axis of said shield, for the purpose described.

2. In combination with a tunnel excavating shield of the character designated, a jack pivotally mounted therein, and means for adjusting the axial alinement of said jack obliquely with relation to the central longitudinal axis of said shield, together with means for locking sa id jack in prescribed position, for the purpose described.

3. In combination with a tunnel excavating shield of the character designated, a plurality of jacks pivotally mounted therein, and means for individually adjusting the axial alinement of said jacks obliquely with relation to the central longitudinal axis of said shield, for the purpose described.

4. In combination With a tunnel excavating shield of the character designated, a plurality of jacks pivotally mounted therein, and means for individually adjusting the axial alinement of said jacks obliquely with relation to the central longitudinal axis of said shield, together with means for locking said jacks individually in prescribed position, for the purpose described.

5. In combination with a tunnel excavating shield of the character designated, a pressure jack mounted thereon, and means for positioning said j ack obliquely with relation to the central longitudinal axis of said shield, for the purpose described.

6. In combination wlth a tunnel excavating shield of the character designated, a plurality of pressure jacks mounted thereon, and means for positioning said jacks individually and independently in oblique relationship to the central longitudinal axis of said shield, for the ur ose described.

WILLIA UPDEGRAFF.

Witnesses:

GEO. WM. MIATT, DOROTHY MIATT. 

